Chocolate–Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Ganache

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This cake is a delicious late-fall treat for the chocolate lover in all of us. The pumpkin keeps the cake moist.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups oil

1/2 cup pumpkin purée

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups cake flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 cup heavy cream

7 ounces chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon corn syrup

Pinch of cinnamon

Method

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment mix the sugar, brown sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. Add the eggs, one at a time, and oil. Mix until smooth. Add the pumpkin purée and the vanilla. Mix until smooth. Add the cake flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into two greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cakes start to pull away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pans. Then invert the pans to remove the cakes onto a wire rack.

Put the chocolate and corn syrup in a bowl. Bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and corn syrup. Add the cinnamon and whisk until smooth to make a ganache. Let the ganche stand for 10 to 15 minutes so that it becomes thick, like honey.

Using an offset spatula or knife, spread a thin layer of ganache over the top of one cake layer. Place the second layer on top and pour the remaining ganache over the entire cake, letting it flow down the sides to coat.